Kate Smurthwaite will also be running a workshop at the Exeter Phoenix, during the afternoon of 5th June for any aspiring women comedians who would like to have a crack at stand-up! The workshop will run from 2pm until 5pm and will cost £30. Please contact Devon Rape Crisis Service on 01392 208756 to order tickets for this event. We can only accept cheque or cash as payment for this event. Also the group for the workshop is very small, so there are limited spaces, therefore please book early to avoid disappointment.

Kate Smurthwaite is a stand-up comedian and political activist. She performs all over the UK and around the world, and also writes and tours an annual solo show of left wing comedy under the name 'The News at Kate', which has been a feature of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival since 2009. Kate is a writer for the BBC Three political comedy show The Revolution Will Be Televised.www.katesmurthwaite.co.uk

Our Wonderful Volunteer Catriona had all of her hair shaved off to raise money and awareness for Devon Rape Crisis Service. What an amazing thing to do and we sincerely thank her for supporting our organisation. Here are some pictures of the event which was held in East Allington Village Hall on Thursday 13th February.

If you would still like to make a donation and sponsor Catriona for what she did, you can do so by visiting the "donate" section of our website.

250 people joined a march on Friday 29th November in Exeter to "take back the streets".

The Reclaim the Night March was organised by Devon Rape Crisis Service using a grant made by Fawcett Devon. The purpose was to draw attention to the lack of safety for women and girls on our city's streets. The protesters sent out a loud and raucous message that the level of sexual harassment and violence experienced by women is not acceptable.

Following a dance of solidarity, the 250 strong march followed a route around the city centre, passing many licenced premises where women are particularly vulnerable to unwanted and offensive attention. But even away from the pubs and clubs, women feel vulnerable and these marchers were clear that women will not put up with behaviour which makes them fearful of being out at night. The marchers came from Devon Rape Crisis and Fawcett Devon, from the Exeter Women's Labour Group, from the University Gender Equality Group and also individual men and women who care about these issues deeply.

Trustees, Staff and Volunteers from DRCS gave a joint press conference yesterday with the Police and Crime Commissioner, Tony Hogg to mark his first year in office. He used the occasion to announce a grant of £20,000 to us, which we are delighted about. We have struggled this year to secure financial sustainability and this one off grant ensures that we finish the financial year without any shortfall. We are really confident about financial sustainability in future years as more commissioning opportunities present themselves locally, but we are very grateful to Tony for stepping in at this time so that we were not placed in the position of making difficult decisions about our future viability. We have worked very closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner since he was elected in November 2012; he shows a great deal of understanding of the violence against women and girls agenda and this grant is evidence of his commitment to the vital support services we offer.

Devon Rape Crisis Service was delighted that one of their volunteers, Hannah, won the Keeping People Safe & Well Volunteer of the Year Award, sponsored by the Mildmay-White Fund. The result was announced at the Volunteer of the Year Awards on Thursday 10th October, an event organised by Devon Community Foundation, a grant making charity that supports hundreds of small voluntary and community groups helping local people in need, including Devon Rape Crisis Service.

DRCS is very lucky to have a group of amazing volunteers who provide an invaluable service to women in Devon who have experienced rape or sexual violence. Hannah was chosen as the winner for the award because of the wide range of work that she tirelessly carries out at DRCS and the fact that she is one of our youngest volunteers. Part of Hannah's prize was a cheque for £250 to spend on the organisation and she has asked for the money to go towards volunteer resources and services for younger women. Thank you to everyone who voted and well done Hannah!

Facebook

Twitter News

What People Say About Us

"I think EMDR has allowed me to process things far more than I was expecting, it was more effective than I was anticipating and I was surprised at how much different I felt after having it."

Service User

"DRCSAS has made a massive difference, I feel I have found myself – no longer just focused on what happened to me. I deal with things so much better and have a positive outlook on life that wouldn't have happened without DRCSAS."

Service User

"I feel positive about the future, being able to control my thoughts and emotions rather than them controlling me. I was sceptical at first wondering if it would work but I am amazed at the results. Would definitely recommend to anyone"

Service User

Devon RCSAS

We understand how difficult it can be to seek support – but getting in touch is the first step to coping with and recovering from what has happened.